An NHL award given to the hockey player “judged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability.” Lady Evelyn Byng, the wife of Canadian Governor General Baron Byng of Vimy, first presented the award in 1925. After Frank Boucher of the New York Rangers won the award seven times in eight seasons, he was given the trophy to keep in 1935. Lady Byng donated a duplicate to replace it. When she died in 1949, the league made a new trophy and renamed the award the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy.
Today the winner of the award is selected in a poll of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association at the end of the regular season.
I find it kinda neat that a sport known for it’s gap-toothed brawlers has an award for the player that acts the most “gentlemanly.”
1924-25 - Frank Nighbor, Ottawa Senators
1925-26 - Frank Nighbor, Ottawa Senators
1926-27 - Billy Burch, New York Americans
1927-28 - Frank Boucher, New York Rangers
1928-29 - Frank Boucher, New York Rangers
1929-30 - Frank Boucher, New York Rangers
1930-31 - Frank Boucher, New York Rangers
1931-32 - Joe Primeau, Toronto Maple Leafs
1932-33 - Frank Boucher, New York Rangers
1933-34 - Frank Boucher, New York Rangers
1934-35 - Frank Boucher, New York Rangers
1935-36 - Doc Romnes, Chicago Blackhawks
1936-37 - Marty Barry, Detroit Red Wings
1937-38 - Gordie Drillon, Toronto Maple Leafs
1938-39 - Clint Smith, New York Rangers
1939-40 - Bobby Bauer, Boston Bruins
1940-41 - Bobby Bauer, Boston Bruins
1941-42 - Syl Apps, Toronto Maple Leafs
1942-43 - Max Bentley, Chicago Blackhawks
1943-44 - Clint Smith, Chicago Blackhawks
1944-45 - Bill Mosienko, Chicago Blackhawks
1945-46 - Toe Blake, Montreal Canadiens
1946-47 - Bobby Bauer, Boston Bruins
1947-48 - Buddy O'Connor, New York Rangers
1948-49 - Bill Quackenbush, Detroit Red Wings
1949-50 - Edgar Laprade, New York Rangers
1950-51 - Red Kelly, Detroit Red Wings
1951-52 - Sid Smith, Toronto Maple Leafs
1952-53 - Red Kelly, Detroit Red Wings
1953-54 - Red Kelly, Detroit Red Wings
1954-55 - Sid Smith, Toronto Maple Leafs
1955-56 - Earl Reibel, Detroit Red Wings
1956-57 - Andy Hebenton, New York Rangers
1957-58 - Camille Henry, New York Rangers
1958-59 - Alex Delvecchio, Detroit Red Wings
1959-60 - Don McKenney, Boston Bruins
1960-61 - Red Kelly, Toronto Maple Leafs
1961-62 - Dave Keon, Toronto Maple Leafs
1962-63 - Dave Keon, Toronto Maple Leafs
1963-64 - Ken Wharram, Chicago Blackhawks
1964-65 - Bobby Hull, Chicago Blackhawks
1965-66 - Alex Delvecchio, Detroit Red Wings
1966-67 - Stan Mikita, Chicago Blackhawks
1967-68 - Stan Mikita, Chicago Blackhawks
1968-69 - Alex Delvecchio, Detroit Red Wings
1969-70 - Phil Goyette, St. Louis Blues
1970-71 - John Bucyk, Boston Bruins
1971-72 - Jean Ratelle, New York Rangers
1972-73 - Gilbert Perreault, Buffalo Sabres
1973-74 - John Bucyk, Boston Bruins
1974-75 - Marcel Dionne, Los Angeles Kings
1975-76 - Jean Ratelle, Boston Bruins
1976-77 - Marcel Dionne, Los Angeles Kings
1977-78 - Butch Goring, Los Angeles Kings
1978-79 - Bob MacMillia, Atlanta Flames
1979-80 - Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers
1980-81 - Rick Kehoe, Pittsburgh Penguins
1981-82 - Rick Middleton, Boston Bruins
1982-83 - Mike Bossy, New York Islanders
1983-84 - Mike Bossy, New York Islanders
1984-85 - Jari Kurri, Edmonton Oilers
1985-86 - Mike Bossy, New York Islanders
1986-87 - Joe Mullen, Calgary Flames
1987-88 - Mats Naslund, Montreal Canadiens
1988-89 - Joe Mullen, Calgary Flames
1989-90 - Brett Hull, St. Louis Blues
1990-91 - Wayne Gretzky, Los Angeles Kings
1991-92 - Wayne Gretzky, Los Angeles Kings
1992-93 - Pierre Turgeon, New York Islanders
1993-94 - Wayne Gretzky, Los Angeles Kings
1994-95 - Ron Francis, Pittsburgh Penguins
1995-96 - Paul Kariya, Anaheim Mighty Ducks
1996-97 - Paul Kariya, Anaheim Mighty Ducks
1997-98 - Ron Francis, Pittsburgh Penguins
1998-99 - Wayne Gretzky, New York Rangers
1999-00 - Pavol Demitra, St. Louis Blues
2000-01 - Joe Sakic, Colorado Avalanche
2001-02 - Ron Francis, Carolina Hurricanes
2002-03 - Alexander Mogilny, Toronto Maple Leafs
2003-04 - Brad Richards, Tampa Bay Lightning
2004-05 - No winner due to NHL lockout
2005-06 - Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings
2006-07 - Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings
2007-08 - Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings
2008-09 - Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings
2009-10 - Martin St. Louis, Tampa Bay Lightning
2010-11 - Martin St. Louis, Tampa Bay Lightning
2011-12 - Brian Campbell, Florida Panthers
2012-13 - Martin St. Louis, Tampa Bay Lightning
2013-14 - Ryan O'Reilly, Colorado Avalanche
2014-15 - Jiri Hudler, Calgary Flames
2015-16 - Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings